VOA-BURMA / MILITARY -RON CORBEN-BA

[hlaing@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx]

DATE=9/16/98
BURMA / MILITARY -RON CORBEN-BANGKOK
 

INTRO:  SPECULATION IS GROWING OF A WIDENING RIFT WITHIN BURMA'S 
MILITARY GOVERNMENT OVER POLITICAL POLICY.  RON CORBEN REPORTS 
FROM BANGKOK THE DIVISIONS ARE SAID TO BE DRAWN BETWEEN THOSE FOR
AND AGAINST OPENING A DIALOGUE WITH N-L-D LEADER, AUNG SAN SUU 
KYI.

TEXT:  BURMA'S MILITARY GOVERNMENT MAINTAINS A TIGHT CLAMP ON THE
OPPOSITION NATIONAL LEAGUE FOR DEMOCRACY, THE N-L-D.  BUT THE 
GOVERNMENT IS FACING TENSION WITHIN ITS INNER-CIRCLE OVER FUTURE 
POLICY DIRECTION, ESPECIALLY TOWARDS N-L-D LEADER AUNG SAN SUU 
KYI.

HIGHLY PLACED INTELLIGENCE SOURCES IN THAILAND SAY THE DIVISIONS 
LIE BETWEEN VICE CHAIRMAN OF THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT MUANG AYE 
AND THE HEAD OF MILITARY INTELLIGENCE, KHIN NYUNT.

THE MOUNTING TENSIONS WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT, IN POWER FOR THE 
PAST DECADE, ARE ALONG THE LINES OF THE YOUNGER GENERATION OF 
COLONELS HOLDING A MORE CONCILIATORY VIEW TOWARDS THE OPPOSITION 
AND POSSIBLE POLITICAL REFORM.

THE THAI-BASED "ALL BURMA STUDENTS DEMOCRATIC FRONT" REPORTED THE
DETENTION OF UP TO 17 MILITARY OFFICERS FOR ATTEMPTING TO MEET 
WITH AUNG SAN SUU KYI, INCLUDING A REGIONAL COMMANDER WITH THE 
RANK OF COLONEL.

THE PRESENT 19 MEMBER MINISTERIAL GOVERNMENT -- KNOWN AS THE 
STATE PEACE AND DEVELOPMENT COUNCIL -- LAST NOVEMBER REPLACED THE
PREVIOUS 21 MEMBER STATE LAW AND ORDER RESTORATION COUNCIL.  
SEVERAL MEMBERS OF THE PREVIOUS GOVERNMENT, CONSIDERED CORRUPT, 
WERE OUSTED.

THE CHANGE WITHIN THE GOVERNMENT HAD BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO HALT THE 
SLIDE IN FOREIGN INVESTMENT AND RESCUE THE ECONOMY.  BUT ECONOMIC
DOWNTURN HAS CONTINUED, WITH FOREIGN INVESTORS WITHDRAWING, AND A
SLUMP IN TOURISM, WITH FIRST CLASS HOTELS IN RANGOON REPORTING 
JUST 10 TO 15-PERCENT OCCUPANCY.

THE LATEST POLITICAL CRISIS HAS CENTERED ON A SUSTAINED BID BY 
AUNG SAN SUU KYI TO CONVENE THE PARLIAMENT OF ELECTED MEMBERS 
FROM MAY 1990 GENERAL ELECTIONS. THE N-L-D WON THE VOTE IN A 
LANDSLIDE OVER THE MILITARY'S BACKED PARTY ADDING TO SPECULATION 
SECTIONS OF THE MILITARY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY HAD SUPPORTED 
N-L-D CANDIDATES.

THE CRACKDOWN AGAINST THE N-L-D HAS LED TO 783 OF THE PARTY'S  
MEMBERS BEING DETAINED BY THE MILITARY GOVERNMENT SINCE LATE MAY,
WITH THE SWEEP AGAINST THE PARTY STEPPING UP THIS MONTH.

THE N-L-D SAID TWO ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES AND 79-MEMBERS OF THE 
PARTY WERE DETAINED IN RECENT DAYS, MAKING A TOTAL OF 196 ELECTED
REPRESENTATIVES AND 587 OTHER MEMBERS.

THERE HAS BEEN NO INDICATION FROM THE GOVERNMENT WHEN THEY WILL 
BE RELEASED, BUT A GENERAL CONSENSUS OF DIPLOMATS AND OTHER 
SOURCES SAY THE DETAINEES ARE BEING WELL TREATED.  BUT DIPLOMATIC
SOURCES HAVE ADDED THE PRESENT STAND-OFF BETWEEN THE GOVERNMENT 
AND THE N-L-D HAS FAILED TO BE FULLY REFLECTED ON THE STREETS OF 
RANGOON, WHERE DAILY BUSINESS AND ROUTINE CARRIES ON NORMALLY.   
(SIGNED)

NEB/RAE

16-Sep-98 8:42 AM EDT (1242 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
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